Six Steps Towards Something
by liebedance
Summary: Five times Lily compared James to Severus, and one time she didn't. Sev-Lily friendship, James-Lily animosity and friendship.


Written for Stag & Doe Ficathon on LiveJournal.

Contains: Lily-Sev friendship

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><p><em>First Year<em>

He was rotten, James Potter was. _God_, he was spoiled. Had everything under the sun - the loving family, the mountains of gold, the boyish charm, the adoring friends - and it was so obvious he knew it. And, Lily was so glad that Sev had never been so over-indulged.

_Second Year_

At least once a week, something was blown up. A cauldron of half-brewed potions, charmed pineapples, telescopes, suits of armour... It was, Lily thought, like a castle-wide game of Exploding Snap. Nothing and nobody was completely safe from Black and Potter.

"Why do they _do_ that?" whispered to Sev as Professor McGonagall was reprimanding them for a particularly loud and messy explosion at breakfast that morning.

Sev just rolled his eyes. "They're immature, Lily. There's nothing else to it."

Lily crinkled her nose in distaste, thanking Merlin that she had chosen someone much more mature as a best mate.

_Third Year_

"Ouch!" Lily exclaimed, shaking her now-throbbing hand. "Potter, watch what you're doing!"

"Shit, Evans, I'm sorry!" James exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "I didn't mean to."

Lily believed him - grudgingly - but that didn't make the pain from where the gnome had bitten her any less severe. It was just her luck that she'd be forced to partner with Potter the day they were working with _biting_ things in Care of Magical Creatures. Why, oh why, hadn't Professor Kettleburn let them pick their own partners? Then she could've been working with Sev instead of this careless prat.

"Shove off, Potter," Lily grumbled, glaring at the messy-haired boy before turning away.

_Fourth Year_

"It's not funny, you know," Lily said to Remus as they sat studying in the library one afternoon.

"What Black and Potter do to the younger kids, it's bullying."

"Sometimes it's funny," Remus argued. "Billy _did_ look quite fetching with green hair."

"It's still bullying," Lily maintained, though the memory of Billy Burke – a slimy Slytherin third year – with green hair _did_ tempt a smile. "And, the things they do to Sev..."

"He deserves it sometimes," Remus told Lily.

"I don't believe it, Remus," Lily said, squashing the squirming that had begun in her stomach. "Those are just nasty rumours that your friends start because they don't like him. Severus would never..."

"Sometimes you're a bit blind, Lil," Remus said with a sigh. "The fifth years that Snape hangs around with aren't good! They're _off_."

"Sev's not like that," Lily said quietly. When Remus didn't respond, she continued, "Besides, at least he doesn't bully innocent first years."

"For now," Remus muttered, and Lily pretended that she didn't hear him.

_Fifth Year_

"Oi, Evans!"

"Not _again_," Lily half-moaned, rubbing her hand against her forehead in frustration. Bracing herself, she put down her book and turned to look at the boy who was approaching her. It was a beautiful autumn day out, and Lily did _not_ want to deal with this. "What do you want, Potter?"

"For you to go to Hogsmeade with me on Halloween."

"Not a chance," Lily replied, not missing a beat. This song and dance was getting old, and Lily knew the moves too well.

"Evans, c'mon, I'll show you a brilliant time." James filled his next line with practised ease. "Ditch Snivelly for a _real_ man."

"Come off it. Jessica Abbot says you haven't much to boast about, if you know what I mean," Lily quipped, earning her an angry glare from the boy. "Besides, 'real men' aren't arrogant twats. Now sod off, and leave me alone."

This dance is ending now, Lily thought as she shoved the book she'd been reading in her bag and stormed off towards the castle.

"And I'm not dating Severus," she shouted over her shoulder, "but I'd gladly snog him over you any day." It was only a bit of a lie, really.

_Sixth Year_

It was stupid, really, but Lily couldn't seem to stop the tears. She wasn't even surprised or shocked. But to actually see the words written in her sister's familiar, tidy scrawl... Well, it hurt.

_What I'm trying to say, Lily, is that it'd be best if you didn't come to my wedding._ Lily knew she shouldn't keep rereading the offending sentence, but her eyes were drawn to it as though by magnets. It was just one more brick being pulled from the foundation of Lily's life.

The pain from losing Sev was still present, especially at times such as now. None of her other friends really understood the situation between Lily and Petunia. And, though they were good to her, Lily didn't quite feel comfortable crying to them about it. What she really needed – and what she hadn't had for several months – was a best friend.

"Evans?" A familiar voice rang across the previously empty corridor, causing Lily to start. It was Potter. And while they'd shifted to something akin to friends since the start of term, Gryffindor's latest Quidditch Captain and all around Golden Boy was not on the list of people Lily wanted to see.

Lily hastily wiped her eyes and looked up at him. "Yeah?" she asked, trying to pretend as though her face wasn't red and blotchy.

"Are you alright?" James was frowning slightly, and Lily couldn't quite tell if the look on his face was one of concern or apprehension.

"Not really, no," Lily said, too exhausted to lie.

"Can I do anything?" he asked, taking a step towards her.

"I doubt it," Lily answered with a sigh.

James nodded and, to her surprise, sat down beside her. He pulled a broken bar of Honeyduke's finest out of his robe pocket and offered it to Lily. She took it.

"Thanks," she said, unwrapping it and nibbling on the corner.

"Any time," James replied. He patted her shoulder awkwardly before letting his hand fall onto his lap.

The two of them sat there in silence until long after Lily had finished the chocolate. Potter, she thought – and, for once, it was without any comparisons or qualifications – was really not a bad bloke to have as a friend.

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><p>Thoughts?<p> 


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